New York, NY (Top40 Charts) This fall, see live performances from some of the top contemporary Nordic folk and jazz artists at Scandinavia House!
This season's lineup brings folk artists from Finland to Sweden to Denmark for evening concerts in Victor Borge Hall, plus a special showcase of Finnish singer/songwriters with Finlandia Foundation New York in October.
On October 1, see Finnish folk music group Kardemimmit featuring Maija Pokela, Jutta Rahmel, Anna Wegelius and Leeni Wegelius, who are singers and players of the kantele (the national instrument of Finland) in its 15- and 38-stringed forms. Their repertory of modern folk music draws from both Eastern and Western Finnish traditions and includes reki singing, both the Perhonjoki valley and the Karelian small kantele, and runo-song traditions. Tonight's program co-presented with World
Music Institute includes an evening performance at 7 PM follows a family music and storytelling event with storyteller Bill Gordh at 4 PM.
On October 6, Swedish folk duo Symbio featuring acclaimed musicians Johannes Geworkian Hellman and Lars Emil Öjeberget bring their original compositions and interplay between hurdy-gurdy and accordion to Victor Borge Hall at 7 PM. With musical storytelling combining folk, minimalistic art music and electronic dance, Symbio's performances also include personal stories about the music, forming an energetic and close interaction with their audience, and have been hailed as "one of the most distinctive groups in the environs of folk music in recent years" (LIRA).
On October 21, see a live showcase of some of the most prominent New York-based Finnish singer-songwriters in the program "Diamonds of the North." In an evening performance at 7 PM co-hosted with Finlandia Foundation New York - Metropolitan Chapter, artists Jonna, Petra Jasmiina, Ida Metsberg, Johanna Telander and Eeppi Ursin will perform works from their thriving careers as recording artists, composers, and performers.
And on December 8 at 7 PM, Danish folk duo Gangspil joins us with Sonnich Lydom on accordion and harmonica and Kristian Bugge on fiddle, performing old dance tunes and songs from throughout Denmark - ranging from rural islands like Læsø to Copenhagen - as well as their own compositions, including everything from wild polkas and jigs to lyrical waltzes, fiery reels and happy hopsas, and the exotic "Sønderhoning" dance tunes from the island of Fanø. A recipient of honors including the 2016 Tradition Award at the Danish
Music Awards, Gangspil brings audiences on an entertaining and variated journey through Danish folk traditions alongside humor and stories from their years on the road.
